Closure for roof hatches



G."FINK cLosURB Fon noo? HATcH'Es Filed April 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Il! I i, www

lNvENToR Georgc F' /r y l HIS ATTORNE od. 2o,y 1942. G. PINK 2,299,317

cmsumay ron Roo;a nucss Filed April 6, '1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 H15 ATTQRNY Patented Oct. 20, 1942 UNE' T E S'Tei 2 Claims.

My present;` invention relates to scuttles or hatches, and more particularly to closures for so-uttles or-hatches for roofs, andimeans` for operatingthe same,-

My invention is ,designedto; provide an effective closure forfroof scuttles or hatches which, when inV closed; position, cannot be forced open from the outside, and yet can be readily opened from the inside of the building. The operating means may be operated from the floor and includes means for rst raising the closure vertically from the hatch rim and then swinging the closure upwardly and outwardly to a position alongside a wall of the hatch to thereby provide a clear passage therethrough.

An object of my invention is to provide a closure for a scuttle or hatch.

Another object is an improved operating means for a scuttle or hatch.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a scuttle or hatch with the closure thereof shown in closed and locked position;

Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, and with the closure just beginning to move to open position;

Fig. 3 is another view, similar to Fig. 1, and with the closure in completely open position, and

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. l, but taken from the opposite side therefrom.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a roof provided with the scuttle or hatchway opening I. Mounted on the roof I0 and surrounding the scuttle or hatchway opening is a hatchway I2. The hatchway I2 may be of any suitable material, as wood, and is anchored to the roof I9 by metallic members |3 embedded in the material of the roof and extends upwardly some distance above the lower inside edge of the hatchway. A flashing I4 has one portion I5 resting on the roof i0 and the main portion sheathing the outer face of the hatchway. The upper edge of the flashing I4 is folded over at right angles to the main portion, as indicated by the reference numeral I6, and is housed in the folded-over portion of a curbing I8.

I9 designates a closure for the hatchway and is provided on the periphery of the under face with resilient sealing material 20, as for example, sponge ruber. The closure I9 is covered with weather-proof material 2| and the peripheral portion thereof is folded downwardly to form a skirt 22 which effectively precludes the admission of water past the sealing means 20.

The operating means for opening and closing the closure lil comprises a shaft 23 arranged for rotation in suitable bearings (not shown). llhe shaft 23 and bearings are located within the limits defined by the hatchway I2. Mounted on the shaft 23 is a worm wheel 23 which is-rotaterl` by a worm` 25 on a shaft 26. IThe shaft 2li is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings (not shown). Secured to one end of the shaft 26 is a grooved pulley 2l, over which runs a rope or chain 28 and by means of which the worm 25 may be rotated in either direction.

Pivotally mounted, one end to the under face of the closure I9 and the other end to a face of the worm wheel 24, is a connecting rod 29. Pivotally mounted at ane end to a wall of the hatchway I2 is a slotted cam link 39. The other end of this cam link or lever is pivotally and slidably mounted on the under face of the closure I9 by a fitting 30a. Pivotally mounted at one end to a face of the worm wheel 24 is a link 3|, the other end of which is pivotally and slidably mounted in the slot of the cam link or lever 39. The link 3| is provided, adjacent to the end associated with the cam link or lever 39, with `a longitudinally disposed slot, 32 in which is pivotally and slidably mounted one end of a link 33. The other end of the link 33 is p-ivotally attached to a face of the worm wheel 24. The pivotal mountings of the links 29, 3| and 33 on the face of the worm wheel 24 are adjacent to the periphery thereof, and are substantially equidistant from each other.

With the above construction and assuming it is desired to move the closure I9 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the operator manipulates the rope or chain 28 to rotate the shaft 26 so as to rotate the worm wheel 24 in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1. The immediate effect of this rotation is that the links 29 and 3| push the closure practically vertically upward, or into the position shown in Fig. 2. The upper end of the cam link 39 pivots and slides in the fitting 39a to permit this upward movement of the closure.

Continued rotation of the Worm wheel 24 will move the pivotal point of the connecting link 29 rapidly upward, the pivotal point of the link 3| slowly upward, and the pivotal point of the link 33 rapidly downward, with the result that the closure I9 is tipped through an arc to almost a vertical position and is brought to rest at one side of the hatchway and completely clear thereof, as shown in Fig. 3.

To replace the closure I9, the direction of rotanormally resting on the upper edge of the hatch- 10 way when in closed position, a shaft mounted Within the hatchway and at one side thereof, a worm gear mounted on the shaft, a worm meshing with the worm gear, means for rotating the rotation of the worm gear, a connecting rod pivotally mounted one end to the worm gear, and the other end to the under face of the cover, a

second connecting rod provided with a trackway and pivotally connected, one end to the side of 20 the hatchway and the other end to the under face of the cover, a connecting rod provided with a trackway and pivotally connected at one end to the worm gear and having the other end connected to said second connecting rod for sliding 25 movement in said trackway, and a connecting link `pivotally connected at one end to the worm gear i worm in either direction to cause a corresponding 15 and having its other end slidably mounted in the last said trackway.

2. An improved roof hatchway cover operating means comprising a slotted cam link pivotally attached to the hatchway curbing and at the other end pivotally and slidably attached to the under face of the cover, a shaft having a gear thereon, a connecting link pivotally attached at one end to a face of said gear, and pivotally and slidably attached at its other end to the slot of the slotted cam link, said connecting link provided with a slot adjacent the end connected to the slotted cam link, a connecting link pivotally attached at one end to the under face of the cover and at its other end to'a face of the gear at a point remote from the pivotal connection of the first said connecting link, a third connecting link pivotally attached at one end to a face of the gear and pivotally and slidably attached at its other end to the slot in said rst said connecting link, and means for rotating said gear in a counter-clockwise direction, whereby the cover is rst moved upwardly 01T the hatchway curbing and then moved pivotally about the pivotal connection between the slotted cam link and cover to open position clear of the hatchway.

GEORGE FINK. 

